Power semiconductor device

ABSTRACT

In a semiconductor device having a first terminal  101  (source terminal) and a second terminal  102  (drain terminal), the substrate main surface of a semiconductor chip is on the ( 110 ) face, the main contact face of an n-type region  2  and a p-type region  4  is the { 111}  face perpendicular to the ( 110 ) face, elongated n-type regions  2  and elongated p-type regions  4  which are arranged alternately and adjacently form a voltage holding area, said first terminal  101  is connected to said p-type regions through wiring, and said second terminal  102  is connected to said n-type regions  2.  Also, said p-type region is formed to cover the bottom corners of a gate polycrystalline silicon layer  8.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] In prior art semiconductor devices, in case where the terminals of the main current path are used as a first and second terminals to make the semiconductor devices high withstanding-voltage ones, it is necessary to form a depletion layer so that the strength of electric field generated in the internal of the semiconductor element when a voltage is impressed between the first terminal and the second terminal becomes lower than the critical strength resulting in the avalanche breakdown. To this end, it is needed to make high the specific resistance of a drift layer area and to form the drift layer area of which length in the voltage drop direction is large, so that the depletion layer can easily spread when a voltage is applied between the first and second terminals. Therefore, there is a problem that resistance between the first terminal and the second terminal raises rapidly as the withstanding-voltage between the first terminal and the second terminal is made higher.

[0002] Japanese Patent Prepublication No. 54661/1990 discloses a semiconductor device in which the semiconductor main body has a plurality of n-type first regions, between which a p-type second region is sandwiched, the length of these first and second regions in the direction perpendicular to their thickness is made a value sufficient to carry the voltage over 100V along the semiconductor main body when free charge carrier was eliminated, an electrically parallel current path is formed which extends through the semiconductor main body, and the values of the thickness and doping density of each of the first and second regions are selected so that the space-charge per unit area of each of positive and negative alternately arranged space-charge regions formed by the first and second regions becomes lower the critical strength resulting in the avalanche breakdown.

[0003] Further, in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Prepublication No. 54661/1990, a semiconductor device is also disclosed in which in order to form said first and second regions, a high resistance p-type epitaxial layer is grown on a low ohmic n-type substrate having the main surface axial direction of [110], etching is performed until reaching the substrate by using the anisotropic etching, a groove is formed having sheer side faces in the epitaxial layer, then an n-type epitaxial layer is formed, and this n-type epitaxial layer is used as said first regions and said high resistance p-type epitaxial layer is used as said second regions. Although in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Prepublication No. 54661/1990 there is such description that anisotropic etching is applied to the (110) face, and thereby the reputation pattern of n-type and p-type regions can be formed, no planar structure suitable for low loss is discussed. Also, in the case of the semiconductor elements in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Prepublication No. 54661/1990, since it is impossible to make narrow the reputation pattern of the n-type and p-type regions, there is the problem that it is impossible to make sufficiently low the electric power consumed in the semiconductor element, and further, because of the existence of said reputation pattern there is the problem that the inter-drain/source capacitance of a power MOS FET, for example, becomes large.

[0004] In U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,215 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,2750, a planer structure suitable to effectuate a semiconductor device best suited to high withstanding-voltage and low loss. However, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,215 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,275, there is no description relating to the planer structure suitable for the case where the (110) face is used as the semiconductor substrate.

[0005] Japanese Patent Prepublication No. 223896/1998 proposes a method for ion implantation into silicon etching groove side faces, as the manufacture method of the semiconductor device simultaneously achieving low loss and high withstanding-voltage. However, although Japanese Patent Prepublication No. 54661/1998 describes an approach for making narrow the pitch of the reputation pattern of the n-type and p-type regions, this structure is in effect unsuitable for the production.

[0006] German Patent No. 19730759 discloses a structure in which said p-type second regions are separated from the body diffusion layer of MOS FET. In this German Patent No. 19730759, in order to obtain the device structure suitable for high withstanding-voltage and low loss, there is a need for an improvement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The semiconductor device according to this invention comprises a voltage holding area in which within the semiconductor chip the first regions of the first conduction type having an elongated shape and the second regions of the second conduction type having the similar shape are arranged alternately and adjacently. The first regions are connected to a second terminal and the second regions are connected to a first terminal. When a voltage is applied between the first and second terminals and current flowing is obstructed, positive and negative space-charge regions are alternately arranged in the voltage holding area formed by the first and second regions. In this case, the first and second conduction type are p-type or n-type, respectively, which are opposite conduction types with each other. Furthermore, the semiconductor device according to this invention can have one construction selected from following A to E:

[0008] A. the substrate main surface of the semiconductor chip is positioned on the (110) face and a couple of opposed side edges of four side edges of the semiconductor chip are positioned on the {111} face which is perpendicular to the (110) face, and the first and second regions extend in an elongated fashion in the [110] axis;

[0009] B. the substrate main surface of the semiconductor chip is positioned on the (110) face, and the first and second regions extend in an elongated fashion in the [110] axis, with the main contact face positioned on the {111} face perpendicular to (110) face;

[0010] C. a third regions of the first conduction type are formed at the periphery of the voltage holding area, said third region having its higher mean impurity concentration than that of the first regions;

[0011] D. The semiconductor device is an insulated gate type semiconductor device of which channel region is separated from the second regions; and

[0012] E. the semiconductor device is an insulated gate type semiconductor device of a trench gate type, the spacing between the trench gates being shorter than the spacing between the second regions.

[0013] A method of manufacturing the semiconductor device having the said construction of A or B, according to this invention includes following step F or G:

[0014] F. a step for forming a groove in the silicon semiconductor chip with an anisotropic etching liquid by using as a mask a polygon pattern composed of four main sides intersecting at the angle of 70.5.5.±5. or 109.5.±5., and a step for filling the formed groove with a silicon layer.

[0015] G. a step for forming a groove in said silicon semiconductor chip with an isotropic etching liquid by using a photo mask formed along on the (-11-1) face or on the (-11-1) face on which a couple of opposed side edges out of four side edges of said semiconductor chip are positioned, and a step for filling the formed groove with a silicon layer.

[0016] In accordance with this invention, the voltage holding area can be formed with high precision, or it is possible to improve the voltage holding function of the voltage holding area at the time when current flowing is obstructed. Therefore, it is possible to achieve the semiconductor device with high withstanding-voltage and/or low loss functions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017]FIG. 1 is a plan view of the semiconductor device of Embodiment 1;

[0018]FIG. 2 is an example in which Embodiment 1 is applied to a power MOS FET, and show a sectional drawing taken along line a-a in FIG. 1;

[0019]FIG. 3(a) is a plan view of the semiconductor wafer on which the power MOS FET of Embodiment 1 is formed;

[0020]FIG. 3(b) is an explanatory view of the case where the main flat of the semiconductor wafer is on the (1-1-1) face or (1-12) face in Embodiment 1;

[0021]FIG. 3(c) is an explanatory view of the case where the main flat of the semiconductor wafer is on the (-11-1) face or (1-1-2) face in Embodiment 1;

[0022]FIG. 4(a) and FIG. 4 (b) are sectional views explaining a manufacturing method of the semiconductor device of Embodiment 1;

[0023]FIG. 4(c) and FIG. (d) are sectional views explaining a manufacturing method of the semiconductor device of Embodiment 1;

[0024]FIG. 4(e) and FIG. (f) are sectional views explaining a manufacturing method of the semiconductor device of Embodiment 1;

[0025]FIG. 4(g) and FIG. (h) are sectional views explaining a manufacturing method of the semiconductor device of Embodiment 1;

[0026]FIG. 4(i) is a sectional views explaining a manufacturing method of the semiconductor device of Embodiment 1;

[0027]FIG. 5 is a plan view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 2;

[0028]FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 3;

[0029]FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 4;

[0030]FIG. 8 is a sectional view explaining a manufacturing method of the semiconductor device of Embodiment 4;

[0031]FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 5;

[0032]FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 6;

[0033]FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 7;

[0034]FIG. 12(a) through FIG. 12(c) are explanatory views of a manufacturing method of the semiconductor device of Embodiment 7;

[0035]FIG. 13 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 8;

[0036]FIG. 14 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 9;

[0037]FIG. 15 is a sectional view showing a manufacturing method of the semiconductor device of Embodiment 8;

[0038]FIG. 16 is an impurity distribution profile of the semiconductor device of Embodiment 9;

[0039]FIG. 17 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 10;

[0040]FIG. 18 is a sectional construction view showing a manufacturing method of the semiconductor device of Embodiment 10;

[0041]FIG. 19 is an impurity distribution profile of the semiconductor device of Embodiment 10;

[0042]FIG. 20 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 11;

[0043]FIG. 21 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 12;

[0044]FIG. 22 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 13;

[0045]FIG. 23 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 14;

[0046]FIG. 24 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 15;

[0047]FIG. 25 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 16;

[0048]FIG. 26 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 17;

[0049]FIG. 27 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 18;

[0050]FIG. 28 is a plan view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 19;

[0051]FIG. 29 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 19;

[0052]FIG. 30 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 19;

[0053]FIG. 31 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 19;

[0054]FIG. 32 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 20;

[0055]FIG. 33 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 34;

[0056]FIG. 34 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 22;

[0057]FIG. 35 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 23;

[0058]FIG. 36 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 24;

[0059]FIG. 37 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 25; and

[0060]FIG. 38 is a sectional view of a semiconductor device of Embodiment 26:

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0061] Hereinafter, embodiments of the semiconductor devices according to this invention will be explained in detail with reference to attached drawings.

[0062] Incidentally, in this specification, crystalline faces are written with Miller indices, and a bar code for expressing the index in the negative direction is substituted with a minus code. Also, { } shows faces which have an equivalent symmetric property as usually expressed, for example, {111} shows all of the faces, (111), (-1-1-1), (11-1), (1-11), (-111), (1-1-1), (-11-1), and (-1-11). [ ] shows an intra-crystal line direction, for example, [11-0] axis shows the axis perpendicular to the (110) face. Also, for the sake of easy understanding for explanation, there is no distinction in notation in case where the same face is seen from the top and from the back, like the (1-1-1) and (-111) faces.

Embodiment 1

[0063]FIG. 1 is a plan view of the semiconductor device according to the embodiment of this invention, FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view along a-a line in FIG. 1 in case where the semiconductor device according to the first embodiment of this invention is a power MOS FET, and FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show one example of a manufacturing method of the present semiconductor device.

[0064] In FIG. 1, the present semiconductor device is actualized by a semiconductor device having means for obstructing current flow between a first terminal (in FIG. 2, a source terminal) 101 and a second terminal (in FIG. 2, a drain terminal) 102 by forming a depletion layer extending through a part of a silicon semiconductor chip 200 when a voltage is applied between the first terminal 101 and the second terminal 102. The substrate main surface of the silicon semiconductor chip 200 is formed with the (110) crystalline face, and at the central portion of the silicon semiconductor chip 200, a voltage holding area is provided comprising elongated n-type regions 2 electrically connected to the second terminal 102 and elongated p-type regions 4 electrically connected to the first terminal 101 which are disposed alternately with respect to the n-type regions 2, said n-type and p-type regions 2 and 4 extending in the [110]axis direction forming as the main contact face the {111} crystallin face perpendicular to the (110) crystalline face. The first terminal 101 is connected to an electrode taking-out region 15 a of aluminum or the like positioned on the semiconductor main surface, through conductive wiring such as a bonding wire, etc., and further the electrode taking-out region 15 a is connected to the p-type regions 4 via wiring. On the other hand, the second terminal 102 is connected to the n-type regions 2 by the connection to a back face electrode 16, through a conductive region of a header or the like.

[0065] When current flow between the first terminal 101 and the second terminal 102 is obstructed, positive and negative alternately arranged space-charge regions are formed in the voltage holding area comprised of the n-type areas 2 and the p-type areas 4, and more than half of the voltage applied between the first terminal 101 and the second terminal 102 is carried by the positive and negative space-charge regions formed in the voltage holding area, and whereby the current flow between the first terminal 101 and the second terminal 102 is obstructed. On the other hand, during the conductive mode in which current flows between the first terminal 101 and the second terminal 102, the main current flow through the p-type regions 2 constituting the voltage holding area in the direction perpendicular to the semiconductor main face.

[0066] Also, in FIG. 1, by extending the p-type regions 4 which are in an active area in the vertical directions in the figure at the peripheral portions of the voltage holding area, the prevention of degradation of withstanding voltage against the peripheral portions in the vertical directions on the basis of the same principal as in the active area is intended. Also, field limiting regions 4 x are formed at the left and right peripheral positions of the figure, extending in parallel with respect to the p-type regions 4 and which are formed by the same manufacturing processes as in the p-type regions 4. This prevents the withstanding voltage between the first terminal 101 and the second terminal 102 from considerably decreasing due to electric field concentration on the semiconductor surface at the peripheral portions of the semiconductor chip 200.

[0067] Therefore, in accordance with this embodiment, by forming the repeated strip pattern of the pn junction comprising the p-type regions 4, 4 x and the n-type regions 2 so that they extend in the same direction in the plain and elongated manner, high withstanding-voltage arrangement of the element including the peripheral portions is achieved as a characteristic feature. In this embodiment, the distance between the p-type regions 4, 4 x and the peripheral portions of the semiconductor chip is selected to a value of not more than 50 micro-meter. Incidentally, although in this embodiment the case where the p-type regions 4, 4 x are arranged as the stripe regions having their length equal to the plane size of the semiconductor chip, it may be a planar structure in which division is performed by the n-type regions at various positions. In this case, it is possible to forefend a tendency for the n-type regions 2 to be damaged when grooves 3 are formed in regions becoming the p-type regions 4, 4 x (refer to after-mentioned Process in FIG. 4(a)). In other wards, the total of the plain areas the stripe-like pn junctions comprising the n-type regions 2 and the p-type regions 4, 4 x constituting the voltage holding area is formed so that it occupied over 95% of the semiconductor chip area.

[0068] In the drawing, in view of the limitation of its space, the field limiting areas each comprising 3 p-type regions 4 x are shown, but the number thereof may be increased or decreased depending upon a withstanding voltage as needed. Further, an n-type region 11 b is provided at the peripheral position of the semiconductor chip to suppress the elongation of the depletion layers form the p-type regions 4, 4 x.

[0069] In order to explain the construction of this invention in detail and concretely, a sample of a power MOS FET as an embodiment of the semiconductor element according to this invention will be explained. FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view taken along a-a line in FIG. 1. The power MOS FET of this embodiment has a strip geometry in which elongated polycrystalline silicon gates 8 a are formed on the n-type diffusion layers 2 between the adjacent p-type diffusion layers 4 in FIG. 1. When the voltage of 0 volt is applied to the gates 8 a of the polycrystalline silicon and the source terminal 101 and a positive voltage is applied to the drain terminal which is the second terminal 102 with respect to the source terminal which is the first terminal 101, positive and negative alternately arranged space charge regions are formed in the voltage holding area in which the n-type regions 2 and the p-type regions 4 are alternately and adjacently arranged, and whereby the current flowing is obstructed. At that time, the p-type regions 2 each sandwiched between the adjacent p-type regions 4 of the voltage holding area have a higher impurity concentration than that in the drift area of the conventional power MOS FET. However, since pitches between the p-type regions 4 and the n-type regions sandwiched by the adjacent ones are made so small that the p-type regions 4 and the sandwiched n-type regions 2 thereby are entirely depletion before the electric field between the p-type regions 4 and the n-type regions 2 sandwiched by them reaches the critical electric field of silicon, the withstanding-voltage degradation between the drain and the source is avoided even though the impurity concentration is made high. On the other hand, when a positive voltage is applied to the gates 8 a, it makes a conductive mode in which a current flows from the drain terminal 102 to the source terminal 101. However, in this case since the current flows through the n-type regions 2 of which impurity concentration is high as compared to the conventional power MOS FET, it is possible to make the ON resistance greatly low as compared to the prior art device. The net impurity amount obtained by integration in the perpendicular direction to the junctions of the repeated pattern of n-type regions 2 and the p-type regions 4 constituting the voltage holding area so as to provide both characteristic features of the high withstanding voltage and the low loss is preferably selected to a value between 5×10¹¹/cm² and 2×10¹³/cm² or below this value. Incidentally, the depth length of the voltage holding area constituted by the alternate and adjacent arrangement of the p-type regions 2 and the n-type regions 4 can be made large since it is formed substantially perpendicularly to the silicon substrate in accordance with the manufacturing method of this invention which will be explained in detail hereinafter. Thus, it is possible to manufacture easily a high withstanding-voltage element. Also, the main bottom plain of the p-type regions 4 constituting the voltage holding area has a downwardly convex shape by the appearance of a face rather than the (110) face.

[0070] Next, an example of the method for manufacturing the semiconductor device according to this invention will be explained by using as a sample a power MOS FET having the drain withstanding voltage on the order of 600V with reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.

[0071] As shown in a sectional view in FIG. 4(a), the semiconductor main surface is formed on the (110) face, then on a high density n-type silicon substrate 1 of about 5 mÙcm formed by doping an n-type impurity such as arsenic, antimony or the like, an n-type epitaxial layer 2 is formed having the thickness of approximately 45 μm and the resistance value on the order of 0.5 Ùcm to 15 Ùcm. Thereafter, surface oxide films 20 a and 20 b are formed, and then patterning on the oxide film 20 a is performed by using as photo resist the parallelogram having the main sides on the (1-1-1) and (-11-1) faces as having been shown in FIG. 1.

[0072] Now, the layout design of the semiconductor chip of the present semiconductor device becomes easy if the semiconductor main surface is on the (110) face as shown in the plan view of FIG. 3 and at least one set of opposite sides of the boundary of the voltage holding area is parallel with the side edges of the silicon chip. For this purpose, one set of side edges which are opposite among four side edges of the semiconductor chip is made on the {111} face which is perpendicular to (110) face. That is, the side edges are made on the (1-1-1) and (1-12) faces or the (-11-1) and (1112). Therefore, it is preferable that the main flat face which is the matching angular measure of a wafer in case where semiconductor devices are manufactured is on the {111} or {112} face which is orthogonal to the (110) face. In case where the (1-1-1) or (1-12) face is made the main flat face, it is preferable to layout the boundary of the voltage holding area so that one of the main boundary lines of the mask pattern for the voltage holding area is made parallel to the side face of the (-11-1) face of the semiconductor chip. Further, in order to form a silicon etching groove having four main side faces perpendicular to the (110) face, a closed loop having as the other set of main sides the lines intersecting at 70.5. or 109.5. with said main boundary lines and having these two sets of boundaries as the main boundaries is designed as a reference mask defining the p-type regions 4 and the n-type regions 2 which constituting the voltage holding area. As a result, the junctions of the n-type regions 2 and the p-type regions 4 are formed in the closed loop including the {111} face perpendicular to the (110) face.

[0073] Incidentally, although in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 an embodiment in which the main flat face of the semiconductor wafer is made the (1-1-1) face and the side edges of the semiconductor chip are made the (1-1-1) face and the (1-12) face is shown, also in case where the main flat face is made the (-11-1) face, the (1-12) face or the (1-1-2) face the characteristic by which the sectional structure can be obtained is the same, merely although the directions of the four plain patterns of which height becomes the main face are changed as shown in FIG. 3.

[0074] Next, by masking the oxide film 20 a and using a solution having high an isotropic etching property, such as potassium hydrate or the like, the silicon etching grooves 3 are formed. By this, the etching in the [110] axis is carried out with minimum side etching for the oxide film 20 a used as the mask. As a result, the (1-1-1)face or the (-11-1) face which is substantially perpendicular to the (110) substrate as the main side edges of the silicon etching grooves 3.

[0075] Now, the patterning of the oxide film 20 a is performed by dry etching or wet etching with the condition that the resist is attached also to the back, so that the oxide film 20 b of the back formed at the same time as in the forming process of the oxide film 20 a, and the oxide film at the side faces of the silicon wafer are not etched. By this, in said silicon etching process, any echoing of places against which it must be prohibited, such as the peripheral portions and back of the silicon wafer can be avoided so as not to create an etching damage which would causes the silicon wafer to be harmed.

[0076] Also, the amount of the side etching increases depending upon the magnitude of the shift of the intersection angle between the photo-mask pattern and the silicon face, and if it is large it is not possible to obtain a deep silicon etching groove. So, the error of angle of the mask and main flat, etc. as explained in this application is hopefully below 0.2%, and realistically an accuracy is needed sufficiently higher than ±5.

[0077] However, in case where as shown in FIG. 1 the p-type regions 4 and the n-type regions 2 are formed in the form of elongated stripe repeated pattern, although the mask for the silicon etching grooves 3 must give especially the high-precision long sidewhich is parallel with the (1-1-1) face as mentioned above among the main four sides, but the short side may be in the right-angle direction to provide an easy layout. In this case, on the side face of this short side the {111} face which is not perpendicular to the substrate appears and the silicon groove which is in the vicinity of this short side becomes shallow, but if the area in which this silicon groove becomes shallow is sufficiently short compared to the length in the long side direction, the deep silicon groove is formed in the main portion of the stripe.

[0078] Next, as shown in the sectional view in FIG. 4(b), the oxide films 20 a and 20 b are removed, and then a P-type epitaxial layer 4 having the resistivity of approximately 0.5 Ùcm to 15 Ùcm is deposited about 3 {grave over (1)}m and at that time the etching grooves 3 are filled up.

[0079] Next, as shown in the sectional view of FIG. 4(c), the p-type epitaxial layer 4 is etched until the n-type epitaxial layer 2 is exposed. In this case, the control of the amount of etching amount for flattening is performed as followed: A portion or entire of the oxide film 20 a shown in FIG. 4(a) is saved by patterning to be used as a mask guide for the silicon etching, and thereafter the p-type epitaxial layer is silicon-etched using said oxide film patter as a reference. Incidentally, it is preferable that the amount of flow of hydrogen chloride (HCL) is optimized during the growth process of the p-type epitaxial layer 4 shown in FIG. 4 and selective epitaxial growth from the bottom of the etching groove 3 is carried out. It is because it becomes hard that cavities are formed within the p-type epitaxial layer 4, whereby there occurred no withstanding-voltage deterioration in the p-type epitaxial layer 4. Also, it is possible to eliminate an etchback process in which the p-type epitaxial layer 4 is etched until the n-type epitaxial layer 2 appears.

[0080] The resistance value and reputation pitch are selected so that the amount of net impurity provided by integration in the vertical direction with respective to the junction face of the n-type region and p-type region for the voltage holding area is together approximately the order of 1×10¹²/cm² or below it, thereby forming complete depletion in the current blocking mode. This achieves high withstanding-voltage and low ON resistance.

[0081] Next, as shown in FIG. 4(d), boron of about 2×10¹³/cm²is ion-implanted to form a p-type diffusion layer 5 having the depth of about 2 {grave over (1)}m, and thereafter second silicon etching grooves 17 are formed using the mask of the oxide film 6 a and 6 b and again using the an isotropic etching solution such as potassium hydroxide (KOH), etc. Like the formation of said silicon etching grooves 3, the etching is carried out using a mask laid out so that the main boundary line of the mask pattern is positioned on the {111} face perpendicular to the (110) face, that is the (1-1-1) face or (-11-1) face. Thus, in the case of silicon, a polygonal pattern having four main sides intersecting at 70.50°±5°or 109.5°±5° is used as the mask. The reason why the etching grooves 17 are formed leaving the rear oxide film 6 b is the same as in the case where the etching grooves 3 were formed.

[0082] Next, as shown in FIG. 4(e), the oxide film 6 is etched leaving the area which becomes a field oxide film, and by performing gate oxidation an oxide film 7 of about 50 nm is formed.

[0083] Next, as shown in FIG. 4(f), a polycrystalline silicon layer 8 having the thickness of about 500 nm and the resistance of about 10 Ù is formed, and then the polycrystalline silicon layer 8 is etched using the mask of a resist 22. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4(g), a gate electrode 8 a for MOS FET is formed due to the patterning of the polycrystalline silicon layer 8. Incidentally, gate oxide film parts of said oxide film 7 are indicated by 7 a. Thereafter, a p-type diffusion layer having the depth of about 1.5 {grave over (1)}m for the body and an n-type diffusion 11 having the depth of about 0.2 {grave over (1)}m for the source are formed. Thereafter, the oxide film 12 is made thick up to about 600 nm and a contact for the source electrode is opened.

[0084] Next, as shown in FIG. 4(h), etching is made using the mask of the oxide film 12 until a source contact hole reaches the p-type diffusion layer for the body. In this case, the ion implantation of boron may be carried out as needed to take ohmic contact to the p-type diffusion layer 9. Incidentally, since a contact for the p-type diffusion layer is formed by a different process from said process, the silicon etching is not carried out.

[0085] Thereafter, an aluminum electrode layer having the thickness of about 3 {grave over (1)}m is formed, the patterning of an aluminum electrode 13 a acting as the source area of the Power MOS FET, a gate electrode 13 b and 13 c which acts as the chip edge side electrode is carried out, and further a protection film 14 is formed other than a source electrode pad 15 a which is the electrode lead part of the first terminal, a gate electrode pad (not shown) and the scribe area of the semiconductor chip.

[0086] Next, the backetch is made so that the thickness of silicon becomes about 250 {grave over (1)}m, and the rear electrode 16 is formed, thereby to provide the sectional structure of FIG. 2. Incidentally, the face at the time when the silicon etching grooves were formed would be shifted by carrying out the heat process to the PN junction boundary of the p-type region 4 and the n-type region 2, but even after it shifted by diffusion, the face direction of the main face of the junction does not change.

[0087] Also, although as the process shown in FIG. 4(b) the case where the usual epitaxial growth is carried out was shown, such a process may be carried out that a p-type epitaxial layer 4 is formed as shown in FIG. 4(i) only within the groove 3 in the monocrystalline silicon layer by using selective epitaxial growth from the state of FIG. 4a and thereafter to maintain the completeness of the area formed by the selective epitaxial growth a defect removing process using oxidation or silicon etching is carried out. Alternatively, such a process may be utilized that ion implantation is made against an selective epitaxial growth area, and thereafter a heat process is used to restore a defect, and then the structure of FIG. 4(c) is made up.

[0088] In accordance with this embodiment, since to form the reputation pattern of the n-type regions 2 and the p-type regions 4 necessary for high withstanding-voltage, etching is made by an alkali etching liquid having a high face azimuth property such as potassium hydroxide, etc. using as a mask the pattern of a parallelogram comprised of two sides of the (1-1-1) face and two sides of the (-11-1) face intersecting to said two sides of the (1-1-1) face at the angle of about 70.5° or about 109.5°, and by using this etching face as the reference the reputation pattern of the p-type regions 4 and the n-type regions 2 which become the withstanding-voltage holding area necessary for the high withstanding-feature is formed, the side edge of silicon against the mask can be minimum, and the reputation pitch interval of the p-type regions 4 and the n-type regions 2 constituting the voltage holding area can be made narrow and long. If the substrate (110) face is merely anisotropy etched without appropriately selecting the planar layout as mentioned above, a face which is not perpendicular to the substrate appears, so since the progress of the side edge and the etching speed reduction in the depth direction occur locally, it is impossible to make the planar pitch size of the PN junction narrow and form a deep silicon etching groove. In accordance with this embodiment, since it is possible to make narrow the reputation pitch of the p-type regions 4 and n-type regions 2 of the voltage holding area, even though the concentration of the p-type regions 4 and n-type regions 2 is increased, the complete depletion forming is possible as the maximum electric field of the PN junction at the time when a reverse voltage is applied to the said p-type region 4 and n-type region 2 is made below the critical electric field strength. Therefore, it is possible to give the high withstanding-voltage element the low loss feature. Also, with the reputation pitch of the p-type regions 4 and n-type regions 2 of the voltage holding area and the length in the direction of the depth, by effecting correctly the angular control of the face and the silicon etching mask, even though the spacing of the reputation pitch of the p-type regions 4 and n-type regions 2 is selected below approximately 10 {grave over (1)}m, it is possible to form a silicon etching groove having the depth over 40 {grave over (1)}m. Thus, it is possible to provide a high withstanding-voltage element having the withstanding-voltage between the first and second terminals over 600V, and to reduce remarkably the ON resistance compared to the prior art element.

[0089] Further, in accordance with this invention, since in the process of forming the elongated reputation pattern of the p-type regions 4 and the n-type regions 2 necessary for high withstanding-voltage the anisotropy etching is carried out by the alkaline water solution such as potassium hydroxide (KOH), it is possible to form the etching grooves in dozens of wafers at a time. Thus, the throughput is increased over 10 times even in case where the etching grade of silicon is on the same conditions, compared to the dry etching in which usually the etching is made per one chip, and therefore the process cost is decreased.

[0090] Furthermore, in accordance with this embodiment, the main flat acting as the reference for the mask alignment at the time when the semiconductor chip is manufactured is on the {111} face or {112} face which is perpendicular to the (100) face, the semiconductor chip is arranged on the semiconductor wafer so that two sides of the side edges of the semiconductor chip become parallel to said main flat, and a couple of opposed sides of four main sides of the mask pattern for forming the silicon etching grooves acting as the reference for the boundary between the pattern of said p-type regions 4 and the n-type regions 2 a are on the (1-1-1) face or the (-11-1) face so that they are parallel to the side edge of the semiconductor chip. Thus, although said four main sides constitutes a parallelogram, a couple of opposed side thereof can be laid out with parallelism to an xy coordinate in the layout design work. Thus, it is possible to alleviate complexity in the layout design of the silicon etching formation pattern using the anisotropic etching with potassium hydroxide (KOH), etc., thereby to decrease the design cost.

[0091] Furthermore, in accordance with this embodiment, it is possible to use, also when the etching groove 17 for the source contact is formed, the anisotropic etching with potassium hydroxide (KOH) just like the formation of the etching grooves 3, thereby to reduce the process cost compared to the case using the dry etching. Also, since also in the layout design of the etching groove forming pattern for said etching groove 17 the same means as in the formation of the groove 3, it is possible to alleviate complexity in the layout design of the silicon etching formation pattern, thereby to decrease the design cost.

[0092] Furthermore, in accordance with this embodiment, the interval of the p-type impurity regions 4 used as the voltage holding area is made narrower than the channel diffusion regions 9 opposed thereto through the gate 8 a. In other words, the interval of the p-type impurity regions 4 used for the voltage holding area is made narrower than the width of the trench gate, and the corners of the bottom of the trench gate are covered by the p-type impurity region 4 used for the voltage holding area. Therefore, since electric field centralization at the corners of the bottom of the trench gate can be avoided, the increase of the drain withstanding-voltage and the improvement of there liability of the gate oxide film can be achieved. Also, the channel diffusion layer 9 having the concentration higher above two times as against that of the p-type impurity regions 4 is made narrower than the trench gate to suppress the increase of the ON resistance. Incidentally, in this case, since the impurity concentration of the p-type impurity regions 4 is sufficiently lower than that of the channel diffusion layer 9, the causes of the increase of the threshold voltage and the decrease of the mutual conductance gm can be neglected.

[0093] Although this embodiment was explained as an example of the silicon semiconductor element, it is possible to apply it to silicon carbide (SiC). In that case, since a high voltage can be held even though the stretch of the depletion layer in the n-type regions 2 is short, the withstanding-voltage deterioration of the gate oxide film and the drain withstanding-voltage deterioration due to the electric field centralization at the corner of the bottom of the trench gate become strict problems. Thus, the fact that the interval of the p-type impurity regions 4 is wider than the interval of the trench gates and the corners of the bottom of the trench gate are covered by the p-type impurity region 4 as used for the voltage holding area, as mentioned above, becomes more important.

[0094] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the strip structure is formed in which the n-type regions 2 as used for the voltage holding area are located right under the polycrystalline silicon gates 8 a and the p-type regions 4 as used for the voltage holding area are located between the polycrystalline silicon gates 8 a and below them. Thus, since the channel length functioning effectively can be shortened, it is possible to reduce the ON resistance and improve gm (mutual conductance).

[0095] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the p-type impurity regions 4 x which are formed during the same process as the formation of the p-type impurity regions 4 acting as the voltage holding area are used as the field limiting area for assuring the withstanding-voltage at the periphery. Thus, there is no increase of the process cost. This is because the p-type impurity regions 4 x for the field limiting area can be formed at the depth over ¾of the thickness of the n-type epitaxial layer 2 (it is defined that the boundary between the n-type epitaxial layer 2 and the high concentration n-type substrate 1 is at the position where the impurity concentration is 5×10¹⁷/cm³) whereby the electric field centralization at the periphery area can be alleviated, and even though the concentration of the n-type regions 2 which are the drain area of the periphery is high, it is possible to provide high withstanding-voltage.

[0096] Furthermore, the p-type impurity regions 4 and 4 x are formed so that they are shallower than the thickness of the n-type epitaxial layer 2 and between the p-type impurity region 4, 4 x and the high concentration n-type substrate 1 the area (area of which impurity concentration is under 5×10¹⁷/cm³) of the n-type epitaxial layer 2 is left. Thus, there is no withstanding-voltage deterioration at the bottom of the p-type impurity regions 4, 4 x. That is, the n-type regions used for the voltage holding area which is the active area, the n-type regions formed to prevent the withstanding-voltage deterioration, which are positioned at the outside of the active area and the n-type area formed to prevent the withstanding-voltage deterioration, which is positioned under the p-type impurity regions 4, 4 x are all of the same n-type epitaxial layer 2, and therefore they are formed by the same process. Thus, it is possible to provide the high withstanding-voltage function without any complexity of the processes.

[0097] Also, the amount of net impurity of the n-type regions in the interval L2 between the p-type impurity region 4 and the p-type impurity region 4 x and in the interval L3 between the p-type impurity regions 4 x is made smaller over 20% than the amount of net impurity of the n-type regions in the interval L1 between the p-type impurity regions 4. Thus, it is needed that when a backward voltage is applied between the terminal 101 and the terminal 102, it is so constructed that the depletion layer can reach the p-type region 4 x which are the field limiting area. This is because when a voltage is applied to the terminal 102 the depletion layer is started immediately to extend from the p-type regions connected to the terminal 101, whereas from the p-type regions 4 x which are the field limiting area which is not directly connected to the terminal 101 the depletion layer does not extend until the depletion layer from the adjacent p-type region reaches.

[0098] In this embodiment, the impurity concentration is the same between the n-type regions of the voltage holding area and the n-type regions of the periphery area, and thus the interval L2 between the p-type impurity region 4 and the p-type impurity region 4 x and the interval L3 between the p-type impurity regions 4 x are formed shorter over 20% than the interval L1 between the p-type impurity regions 4, so that when a backward voltage was applied between the terminal 101 and the terminal 102 the depletion layer can reach the p-type regions 4 x which is the field limiting area separated from the p-type impurity region 4 through the n-type region 2. Thus, the electric field centralization at the periphery can be alleviated and achieve high withstanding-voltage. Incidentally, in FIG. 2 the spacing L2 between the p-type impurity region 4 and the p-type impurity region 4 x is shortened effectively by the p-type diffusion layer 5. In this case the effective interval between the p-type impurity region 4 and the p-type impurity region 4 x is replaced from L2 to L4. Also, in this embodiment, the impurity concentration may be the same between the spaces L1, L2 and L3. Thus, the n-type regions 2 can be made up with an epitaxial layer having a uniform concentration which can be formed by one process, thereby to provide the advantage that the cost can be reduced. Incidentally, in the case of this embodiment, it is preferable that by making substantially equal the net impurity amount of the p-type impurity region 4 x and the net impurity amount of the adjacent p-type impurity region 4 the complete depletion can be easily provided. Thus, the net impurity amount of the p-type region 4 x is made smaller over 20% than the net impurity amount of the p-type impurity region 4. Therefore, in case where the p-type impurity regions 4, 4 x are equal to each other in net impurity amount, it is preferable that the width of the p-type impurity region 4 x is made shorter over 20% than the width of the p-type impurity region 4.

[0099] Incidentally, in FIG. 1 the periphery portions separated from each other in the vertical direction is shaped so that they are made up by the extensions of the p-type regions 4 and n-type regions 2 which constitute the voltage holding area. With this shape, it is possible to assure the withstanding-voltage at these periphery portions for the same reasons as the case that the n-type regions 2 and p-type regions 4 constituting the voltage holding attain the high withstanding-voltage function in the depth direction. Thus, by utilizing the p-type diffusion regions 4, 4 x and n-type region 2 in the form of the stripe arrangement, it is possible to increase the withstanding-voltage in the voltage holding area which is the active area as well as at the periphery, without additional processes.

[0100] Incidentally, in case where the p-type regions 4 are formed by the dry etching or the n-type regions 2 and p-type regions 4 for the voltage holding area are formed as embedded layers, the n-type regions 2 and p-type regions 4 for the voltage holding area are extended to the periphery of the semiconductor chip, thereby to assure the withstanding-voltage at the periphery and to assure the withstanding-voltage in the horizontal direction.

[0101] Furthermore, in this embodiment, after the p-type regions 4 for the voltage holding area were buried within the silicon etching grooves 3, flatting is performed. In this case, at least a part of an oxide film 20 a shown in FIG. 4(a) is left as an etching mask guide, thereby to carry out the etching of the p-type epitaxial layer 4. Thus, it is possible to control the amount of etching by using said mask guide as a reference. Thus, it is possible to do the high-precision alignment of the pattern of the n-type regions 2 and p-type regions 4 for the voltage holding area with the mask pattern in the process thereafter.

[0102] Incidentally, in this embodiment, the example utilizing the wet etching by means of the material having high anisotropic etching characteristic, such as potassium hydroxide (KOH), etc. was mainly explained. However, it is also possible to form the etching grooves 3 by means of the anisotropic etching of the dry process type. In this case, although the throughput is inferior compared to the dry type anisotropic etching, since there are no limitation on the semiconductor face azimuth and no restriction relating to the angle of the planar pattern, easy element design can be provided.

Embodiment 2

[0103]FIG. 5 is a plan view of the semiconductor device according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the (1-1-1) face is selected as a couple of opposed sides of the semiconductor chip just like the case in FIG. 1, and the sectional structure along a-a part is the same as in the case in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the p-type regions 4 and the n-type regions 2 which are the voltage holding area are a mesh structure and are formed as a reputation pattern. Just like the embodiment in FIG. 1, also in this embodiment, to obtain the characteristic feature of both of high withstanding-voltage and low loss, the amount of impurity of the space to which the reputation pattern of the n-type regions 2 and p-type regions 4 making up the voltage holding area is adjacent is set between 5×10¹¹/cm² and 2×10¹³/cm².

[0104] This embodiment materializes a mesh gate type power MOS FET in which a polycrystalline silicon gate 8 a is formed on an n-type region 2 acting as the voltage holding area, and a p-type diffusion layer 9 for the channel of the power MOS FET on a p-type region 4 acting as the voltage holding area. In this case, just like the case of the embodiment 1, by making the width of the p-type impurity regions 4 which are the voltage holding area wider than the interval of the trench gates and by covering the corners of the bottom of the trench gate with the p-type impurity region 4 used for the voltage holding area, the electric field centralization at the corners of the bottom of the trench gate can be avoided. By this, drain withstanding-voltage is increased and the reliability of the gate oxide film is improved.

[0105] Because the wet antistrophic etching utilizing potassium hydroxide, etc. is applied just like the embodiment 1 and the p-type regions 4 of the voltage holding area are shaped as a parallelogram patter, the main side face at the boundary between the p-type region 4 and the n-type region 2 is on the {111} face perpendicular to the substrate. Thus, also in this embodiment, like the embodiment 1, since the p-type regions 4 and the n-type regions 2 acting as the voltage holding area can be formed at a deep and narrow pitch, it is possible to effectuate high withstanding-voltage and low loss with a cheap process cost. Also, in this embodiment, since the etching groove patter of the mesh type makes the shape immediately after the etching (the structure in FIG. 4(a)) strong compared to the one of the stripe type, it provides improved product yield ratio.

[0106] Also, in this embodiment, to secure the withstanding-voltage at the periphery the p-type diffusion layer formed at the same process as the p-type diffusion layer 4 used for the voltage holding area is a mesh arrangement as the field limiting area. The optimum condition pertaining to the interval of this arrangement is the same as the condition of the dimensions L1, L2 and L3 as explained using FIG. 2 in the embodiment 1, and the interval of the p-type impurity regions 4 x is made narrower than the interval L1 of the p-type impurity regions 4 to provide the easy connection of the depletion layer. In this embodiment, since the voltage holding area and peripheral structure are of the mesh construction, it is possible to elongate the channel width compared to the stripe type gate structure, whereby the ON resistance component at the channel part becomes low. This provides low loss.

Embodiment 3

[0107]FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the semiconductor device according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, a shallow p-type impurity area 18 of low concentration is formed over the p-type impurity regions 4 x used to provide the withstanding-voltage of the periphery. In this embodiment, since the depletion layer can easily spread toward the periphery of the semiconductor chip through the p-type impurity region 18, even though the interval L2 between the p-type region 4 of the voltage holding area and the p-type diffusion layer 4 x formed to increase the withstanding-voltage at the periphery as well as the interval L3 between the adjacent p-type diffusion regions 4 x for increasing the withstanding-voltage at the periphery are the same as the spacing L1 between the adjacent p-type regions 4 of the voltage holding area, the withstanding-voltage at the periphery can be easily obtained. Thus, this can provide the easy planer design of the element for the high withstanding-voltage. Since it is not needed to make the dimensions L2 and L3 smaller than the dimension L1, it is possible to design the dimension L1 to a minimum value within the range admitted by the process conditions. Thus, it is possible to provide easy optimization for the high withstanding-voltage and low loss of the element.

Embodiment 4

[0108]FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the semiconductor device according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, a first epitaxial layer 2 p is formed as p-type, and a second epitaxial layer 4 n is formed as n-type. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, after an etching groove 3 reaching a high concentration n-type region 1 was formed in the first epitaxial layer 2 p, 2 px, the second epitaxial layer 4 n is formed and its surface is flatted, and thereafter etch back is carried out until the first epitaxial layer 2 appears. In this case, the n-type region 4 n and p-type region 2 p at the active area portion vicinity through which current flows correspond to the n-type region 2 and p-type region 4 in the embodiment in FIG. 1, respectively, and act as the voltage holding area. Also, the p-type region 2 px corresponds to the p-type area 4 x in FIG. 1, and acts as the field limiting area.

[0109] In this embodiment, the etching grooves need to be formed deeply to make the current path of the drain, but the other structure is the same as that shown in FIG. 2.

Embodiment 5

[0110]FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the semiconductor device according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, in order to connect p-type regions 4, 4 x to the first electrode 101, a second epitaxial layer 4 of p-type is formed during the production process in the embodiment 1, then after the structure shown in FIG. 4(b) was obtained, the second epitaxial layer 4, 4 b is etched. At that time, in order to provide the same structure as that in FIG. 6, it is intended that by shortening the etching time of the p-type epitaxial layer 4, 4 b, the p-type regions 4 x are formed also on the surface of the semiconductor chip periphery.

[0111] In this embodiment, there is no need the forming process of the p-type diffusion layer 18. However, in order to eliminate a p-type region at the semiconductor chip end, it is needed that the depth of the p-type regions 4 x on the semiconductor surface is made shallower than that of the n-type diffusion layer 11 b, or that the n-type diffusion layer 17 is formed.

Embodiment 6

[0112]FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the semiconductor device according to this invention. This embodiment substantially differs from the embodiment in FIG. 2 having the gate of the trench structure, in that the gate is of a planar structure. In this embodiment in which the gate is of the planar structure, the loss component in the channel diffusion area of MOS FET becomes high compared to the case of the trench structure in the embodiment 2 (FIG. 2), but if the resistance component in this area is low, the planar structure in this embodiment provide decreased process cost. In this case, by making the width of the p-type regions 4 used for the voltage holding area wider than the spacing of the channel diffusion layers 9 and by covering the comers of the bottoms of the channel diffusion layers 9 by the p-type regions 4 which the voltage holding area uses, electric field centralization at the corners of the bottoms of the channel diffusion layer 9 can be prevented. Thus, elevation of drain withstanding-voltage is provided and reliability of the gate oxide film is improved. Although this effect is effective in the case of the silicon semiconductor element, it is especially effective in the case of the silicon carbide (SiC). Incidentally, since the impurity concentration of the p-type impurity regions 4 is sufficiently lower than that of the channel diffusion regions 9, it is possible to neglect the causes of the increase of the threshold voltage and the decrease of the mutual conductance gm.

Embodiment 7

[0113]FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the semiconductor device according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the p-type regions 4 and p-type regions 4 x and the n-type regions 2 are formed by repeating the buried layer formation and the epitaxial layer formation. As shown in FIG. 12(a), an n-type epitaxial layer 2 a is formed on a high concentration n-type substrate 1, and thereafter a p-type buried layer 4 a is formed. Then, as shown in FIG. 12(b), an n-type epitaxial layer 2 b is formed, and then as shown in FIG. 12(c) a p-type buried layer 4 b is formed. Further, by carrying out there processes repeatedly, the structure shown in FIG. 11 is obtained. In this embodiments, the n-type epitaxial layers 2 a through 2 g, the p-type regions 4 a through 4 b and the p-type regions 4 a through 4 f correspond to the n-type epitaxial layer 2, the p-type regions 4 and the p-type regions 4 x, respectively.

[0114] In this embodiment, the p-type diffusion layer 4 g making up the p-type diffusion layer 4 of the voltage holding area is not formed in the portions in which there are the p-type diffusion layers 9 for the channel. That is, the p-type diffusion layer 4 at the voltage holding area does not reach the gate oxide film. Incidentally, also in this embodiment, there is the advantage that the p-type regions of the voltage holding area and the field limiting regions are obtainable using the same process. Also, in this embodiment, by making the spacing of the p-type regions 4 used for the voltage holding area narrower than the spacing of the channel diffusion layers 9 and by covering the comers of the bottoms of the channel diffusion layers 9 by the p-type regions 4 which the voltage holding area uses, electric field centralization at the corners of the bottoms of the channel diffusion layer 9 can be prevented. Thus, elevation of drain withstanding-voltage is provided and reliability of the gate oxide film is improved.

[0115] Incidentally, in this embodiment, although the voltage holding area is formed by using only the p-type buried layer, it is also possible that an n-type buried layer is formed between the n-type regions 2 at the voltage holding area during the production processes shown in FIG. 12, and the impurity concentration of the n-type regions 2 at the voltage holding area is made higher than the concentration of the n-type regions 2 surrounded by the p-type regions 4 x acting as the field limiting area at the periphery. In this case, an additional production process is needed, but since the condition of the voltage holding area for achieving high withstanding-voltage and low loss and the condition for maintaining the withstanding-voltage of the periphery can be determined independently, simple design is provided. Incidentally, also in this case, the conditions relating to the impurity concentration and dimension of the L1, L2 and L3 portions stated in association with the embodiment 1.

Embodiment 8

[0116]FIG. 13 is a sectional view of the semiconductor device according to this embodiment. This embodiment differs from the embodiment 1 in that in this embodiment the width of the p-type regions 4 used for the voltage holding area is made wider than the spacing of trench gates 8 a, in addition a p-type region 5 connects between a channel diffusion layer 9 and a p-type region 4. In this embodiment, the p-type regions 5 can be formed either by ion implantation from the semiconductor main face or by the production method using the buried layer as have been shown in FIG. 12. In this embodiment, although a gate oxide film 7 a at the corner of the bottom of a trench gate is contacted to the n-type region 2, since the width of the n-type region at this portion is narrow, such a shape that depletion is easily made by the application of a voltage between the p-type region 4 and the gate electrode is provided. Thus, the structure by which a strong electric field is not applied at the corner of the bottom of the trench gate is provided. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to avoid the reduction of the reliability of the gate oxide film and the deterioration of the drain withstanding-voltage without causing the increase of the threshold voltage and the decrease of gm due to the p-type regions 4.

Embodiment 9

[0117]FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the semiconductor device according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, after the etching process as explained with reference to FIG. 4(a), phosphate glass is piled up, and by means of impurity diffusion from this phosphate glass, ion implantation from an oblique direction or the like an n-type diffusion layer 2 x of higher concentration than that of the n-type epitaxial layer 2 is formed in the vicinity of a p-type region. That is, this structure is so formed that the net impurity concentration of the main part within an n-type region 2, 2 x acting as the voltage holding area, sandwiched between the p-type regions acting as the voltage holding area becomes low as it goes away from said p-type region.

[0118] In this embodiment, the amount of dose of the n-type regions of the voltage holding area is determined by the total of the n-type regions 2 x, 2 surrounded by the p-type regions. Therefore, by making the concentration of the p-type regions 2 x sufficiently higher than that of the n-type regions it is possible to control correctly the amount of n-type impurity dose necessary for the n-type regions of the voltage holding area mainly by the amount of impurity dose of the n-type regions 2 x. Also, since to secure the withstanding-voltage of the periphery the concentration of the n-type regions can be reduced, even though the conventional field plate using a shallow diffusion layer such as the p-type diffusion layer 5 a is used, it is possible to prevent the withstanding-voltage deterioration of the periphery. Thus, it is possible to achieve easily the conditions of the high withstanding-voltage and low loss functions of the active area (voltage holding area) as well as the withstanding-voltage maintenance of the periphery. To this end, it is necessary that the concentration of the n-type regions 2 of the outside of the voltage holding area is made lower over 20% than the mean impurity concentration of the n-type regions 2, 2 x acting as the voltage holding area. The other processes are the same as the production processes shown in FIG. 4.

[0119]FIG. 16 shows a net impurity distribution in this embodiment. In this embodiment, since the internal of an n-type region sandwiched by said p-type regions 4 is an n-type region 2 x, the mean impurity concentration of the n-type regions 2, 2 x of the voltage holding area is higher than that of the n-type regions 2 of the periphery. Stated more in detail, the impurity concentration of the n-type region which is far from the p-type region is lower than the impurity concentration of the vicinity of the p-type region. Incidentally, in FIG. 16 in the case where the diffusion time of the n-type diffusion layer 2 x is long or the case the spacing of the p-type regions is small from the first, the high concentration n-type diffusion layer 2 x is diffused and a shape is created such that there is no n-type region of low concentration between the p-type regions, but the effect is the same.

[0120] Therefore, in this embodiment, even though there is no concentration control process of the n-type regions 2 and the n-type regions 2 a as explained with reference to FIG. 4, by reducing resistance so that the p-type regions 2 a and n-type regions 2 b as used for the voltage holding area right under the active area becomes the order of approximately 1×10¹²/cm² and by setting the resistance of the p-type regions 2 of the periphery of the semiconductor chip to the value over the degree of 20 ohms which is equivalent to the one of the prior element, it is possible to prevent the withstanding-voltage deterioration at the periphery. Also, even though a silicon etching groove for forming the voltage holding area of the structure of this embodiment has acute angles immediately after its formation, since due to the diffusion process thereafter the diffusion layer extends in the direction from the n-type diffusion 2 b to the n-type diffusion 2 a as well as the direction of the p-type regions 4, the corners of the junction contact face become round. As a result, the electric field centralization at the corners of the etching groove is alleviated, and it is possible to provide easily high withstanding-voltage action. Incidentally, in this embodiment, the impurity diffusion is carried out from the etching groove and this impurity region is utilized as a part of the voltage holding area. In this embodiment, the substrate is not limited to the use on the (110) face, but even granting that it is executed to an etching groove formed by dry etching, the same effect is obtainable.

Embodiment 10

[0121]FIG. 17 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the semiconductor according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, before the formation of the p-type epitaxial layer 4 as explained with reference to FIG. 4(b), as shown in FIG. 18, a p-type epitaxial layer 2 y having lower resistance than that of the p-type regions 2 is formed and thereafter the p-type epitaxial layer 2 y is formed.

[0122]FIG. 19 is a net impurity distribution view of this embodiment. Also in this embodiment, just like Embodiment 9, within an n-type region sandwiched by the p-type regions 4, the impurity concentration of the n-type region at the position far from the p-type region 4 is lower than the impurity concentration at the adjacent position to the p-type region.

[0123] In this embodiment, within an n-type region sandwiched by the p-type regions, the impurity concentration of the n-type region at the position far from the p-type regions 4 is equal to that of the n-type regions 2 at the periphery of the semiconductor chip, and at the adjacent position to the p-type regions 4 there is the n-type region 2 having higher impurity concentration than that of the n-type regions 2 at the periphery of the semiconductor chip. That is, the n-type regions 2, 2 x used for the voltage holding area just under the active area are adapted to have the low resistance so that the net impurity amount thereof becomes approximately the order of 1×10¹²/cm² and the n-type regions 2 at the periphery of the semiconductor chip is adapted to be on the order of 20 Ù which is the value of that of the conventional element, thereby to prevent withstanding-voltage deterioration at the periphery. Thus, also in this embodiment, it is possible to easily satisfy simultaneously the optimization of the ON resistance and withstanding-voltage conditions of the active area as well as the condition of the security at the periphery, like Embodiment 9 shown in FIG. 14.

[0124] Incidentally, also in this embodiment, two kinds of epitaxial layers are formed within the silicon etching grooves and these areas are utilized as a part of the voltage holding area, but in the case of this embodiment, the substrate as used is not limited to the (110) face, but it may be executed in etching grooves formed by dry etching.

Embodiment 11

[0125]FIG. 20 is a longitudinal sectional view of the semiconductor device according to this embodiment. Also in this embodiment, just like the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the interval of the p-type regions 4 used for the voltage holding area is made narrower than the interval of the channel diffusion layers 9, and they are formed not to reach the gate oxide film.

[0126] Further, in this embodiment, the p-type regions 4 x for increasing the withstanding-voltage at the periphery are formed so that they do not contact to the oxide film 6. The structure of this embodiment can be achieved in such a manner that after the structure of FIG. 4(c) was formed by the method using etching grooves, the whole surface is doped with n-type impurity, an additional n-type epitaxial layer is formed or the p-type buried layer shown in FIG. 11 is adapted not to be formed.

[0127] With the structure of this embodiment, since the p-type regions 4 x do not receive easily the influence of semiconductor surface charge, the withstanding-voltage at the periphery stabilizes.

Embodiment 12

[0128]FIG. 21 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the semiconductor device of the present invention. In this embodiment, the density of the n-type region 2 z in the voltage holding area in the embodiment shown by FIG. 20 is made higher than the density of the n-type region 2 s in between the channel diffusion layers 5. In other words, the electric field intensity is reduced by means of making the density of the n-type region 2 s in between the channel diffusion layer 9 and making the depletion layer more diffusive, and the ON resistance and withstanding-voltage is optimized by means of making the density of the n-type region 2 z of the voltage holding area. In addition, the depletion layer at the n-type region 2 between the p-type diffusion layers 4 x can be extensible without forming the n-type region 2 z between the p-type regions 4 x on the fringe at the p-type diffusion layer 4 x so defined as to establish the withstanding-voltage on the fringe when a voltage is applied to the drain terminal 102. With this configuration, in this embodiment, the pitch with which the p-type diffusion layers 4 are arranged can be made equal to the pitch with which the p-type diffusion layers 4 x are arranged.

[0129] As for the implementation of the structure of this embodiment, there are several methods, for example, including that the buried layers shown in FIG. 11 are used, the density of the n-type region 2 z is reduced substantially by diffusing p-type impurities such as Boron on the principal surface of the semiconductor, and that the density is made lower in advance when forming the epitaxial layer 2. In case of this embodiment in which there are n-type regions 2 s with lower density, the pitch with which the p-type diffusion layers 4 are arranged can be made wider than the pitch with which the channel diffusion regions 9 are arranged. Accordingly, as the width of the region 2 z used as the voltage holding area can be made wider, low-loss devices can be established easily. Furthermore, in case that there are n-type regions 2 a with lower density, what can be used is such a planar structure as the gate pattern and the pattern of the voltage holding area are formed in a striped structure and made crossed with each other. This is aimed for reducing the electric field concentration between the channel diffusion regions 9 themselves.

Embodiment 13

[0130]FIG. 22 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the semiconductor device of the present invention. In this embodiment, in order to reduce the capacitance between the drain and the source, the p-type region 4 of the voltage holding area is made distance from the p-type diffusion layers 5 and 9 as the body region by 0.0 to 5 μm. With this configuration, the capacity between the drain and the source can be reduced when the electric potential difference between the drain and the source. In this embodiment, the width of the floating p-type region 4 used as the voltage holding area is made wider than the pitch with which the trench gates are arranged in order to reduce the electric field concentration at the corner of the bottom part of the trench gate, and the n-type region 2 used as the voltage holding area is formed at the area occupying more than half of the region below the trench gate, that is, the area occupying more than half of the region below the n-type region in between the channel diffusion region 9, and thus, the above described p-type region 4 is made occupy less than half of the designated region in order to reduce the ON resistance.

[0131] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the p-type regions 4 x and 5 x operating as the field limiting region in order to prevent the deterioration of the withstanding-voltage at the fringe are formed separately, and thus, those are separated in the longitudinal direction (that is, the vertical direction in relative to the principal surface of the semiconductor) so as to couple to each other at the depletion layer when the reverse bias is applied.

[0132] The p-type regions 5 x formed coincidently with the p-type regions 5 are arranged above the p-type regions 4 x formed at the fringe in order to increase the withstanding-voltage in order to increase also the withstanding-voltage at the fringe itself. In case that the distance between the n-type region 2 and the p-type region 4 above the p-type region 4 x, the p-type region 5 x may not be formed, or the p-type region 5 x may be arranged so that the p-type 4 x may reach the oxide film 6.

Embodiment 14

[0133]FIG. 23 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the semiconductor device of the present invention. In this embodiment, the gate is a trench gate which is formed as being embedded through the gate oxide film formed in the trench ditch formed on the principal surface of the semiconductor, in which the impurity density of the n-type region 2 z of the voltage holding area is made higher than that of the n-type region 2 s (identical to the n-type region in this embodiment) contacting to the corner of the bottom of the trench gate 8 a. In this embodiment, the electric field concentration at the corner of the trench gate which causes the deterioration of the drain withstanding-voltage and the reliability of the gate oxide film can be prevented as well as the ON resistance can be reduced.

Embodiment 15

[0134]FIG. 24 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the semiconductor device of the present invention. The difference between this embodiment and the embodiment shown in FIG. 22 is that the gate is a trench structure or a planar structure. Though the loss component in the channel diffusion region of MOS FET in this embodiment is higher than the case shown by FIG. 2 in the embodiment 1, the process cost is advantageously lower in the planar structure of this embodiment in case that the resistance component contributed by the channel diffusion region is lower. In this embodiment, by means that the pitch with which the floating n-type region 4 used as the voltage holding area is made narrower than the pitch with which the channel diffusion layers 9, the electric field concentration at the corner of the bottom of the channel diffusion layer 9 can be prevented. With this configuration, the withstanding-voltage and the reliability of the gate oxide film can be increased. Though this effect is also valid for the silicon semiconductor devices, this effect is especially larger for silicon carbide (SiC) in which the depletion layer is less diffusive into the semiconductor layer than the silicon semiconductor is. In addition, the half or larger portion of the n-type region surrounded by the p-type channel diffusion region 9 is the n-type region 2. With this configuration, the reduction of the ON resistance is not sacrificed by the p-type region 4. Furthermore, the half or larger portion of the p-type region surrounded by the p-type channel diffusion region 9 is the p-type region 4. With this configuration, the cross zone between the p-type channel diffusion region 9 and the p-type region 4 is larger, the withstanding-voltage may not be reduced even if the p-type region 4 is floating.

Embodiment 16

[0135]FIG. 25 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the semiconductor device of the present invention. This embodiment provides a field plate effect in the longitudinal direction by means that the p-type regions 4 a to 4 e to be used as the voltage holding areas are decomposed into pieces. The higher withstanding-voltage is established also in this embodiment even without making the p-type regions 4 a to 4 e formed as depletion regions. Even if the number of p-type regions 4 a to 4 e which are buried layers is small, the thickness of the n-type epitaxial layer 2 can be made larger. Owing to this configuration, the higher withstanding-voltage can be obtained with smaller number of p-type formations of the epitaxial layer.

Embodiment 17

[0136]FIG. 26 shows a sectional view of the semiconductor device of the present invention. In this embodiment, the higher withstanding-voltage and reduced loss can be obtained by altering the arrangement of the p-type regions 4 a to 4 e used as the voltage holding areas. In other words, the ON resistance is made reduced by increasing the area of the n-type region of the active region toward the drain terminal, and the p-type regions 4 a to 4 e are moved behind into the inside of the device toward the bottom of the regions so that the curvature of the depletion layer may be larger in the fringe.

[0137] The reduced loss is obtained by forming the n-type region 2 below the gate so that its width may increase toward its bottom. In addition, The reduced loss and reduced ON resistance can be established by means that the p-region in the fringe are not formed below toward the fringe so that the curvature of the depletion layer formed between the n-type region 2 an the p-type regions 4 a to 4 e may be larger.

Embodiment 18

[0138]FIG. 27 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the semiconductor device of the present invention. In this embodiment, the electric potential of the gate electrode is made extend to the fringe with the aluminum electrode 13 b. In this case, as the aluminum electrode 13 b shields the electrode, formed at the upper layers above the field limiting region 4 x, and its electric potential, it can be appreciated that the electric field at the interface between the semiconductor region and the oxide film region is stabilized and that the higher withstanding-voltage is obtained more easily. Though the aluminum electrode 3 is connected to the gate electrode and used as the gate field plate, the similar effect can be obtained by connecting the aluminum electrode 13 b to the source electrode and forming the source field plate with it.

Embodiment 19

[0139]FIG. 28 shows a plan view of the semiconductor device of the present invention. FIGS. 29 to 31 are sectional views at a-a, b-b and c-c sections, respectively. In this embodiment, the p-type regions 18 x are formed in a circular geometry on the surface of the semiconductor at the fringe of the active region so as to contact to the p-type regions 4 and 4 x at the fringe. Thus, though the relative position between p-type regions 4 x themselves and the sizes of the p-type region 4 x and the p-type region 4 should be considered in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in which the p-type regions 4 x are formed as floating field limiting regions, the depletion layer are more extensible in the n-type region 2 enclosed by the p-type region 4 x in this embodiment because the electric potential of the p-type region 4 is applied directly to the p-type region 4 x through the p-type region 18 x. Accordingly, the higher withstanding-voltage is obtained even if the pitch with which the p-type regions 4 are arranged is equal to the pitch with which the p-type regions 4 are arranged.

[0140] Though the p-type regions 18 x are formed in a circular geometry enclosing the active area so that the equipotential lines formed between the terminal 101 and the terminal 102 may be developed uniformly, it is allowed that the p-type regions 18 x may be arranged at necessary positions in order to connects the p-type region 4 and the p-type region 4 x. And furthermore, the higher withstanding-voltage can be obtained more easily by making the density of the p-type regions 18 x smaller which cause the depletion layers more likely to develop extensively.

Embodiment 20

[0141]FIG. 32 shows a plan view of the semiconductor device of the present invention. Though the p-type diffusion layers 4 x formed in a floating structure are used at the left and right sides of the fringe in order to establish enough withstanding-voltage at the fringe in the embodiment shown by FIG. 1, the terminal 101 is made connect to the p-type region 4 extending in the left and right directions by the p-type diffusion layer 5 which can be formed without silicon etching ditches, and the stripe patterns for the p-type region 4 and the n-type region are also made developed from the voltage holding area for the left and right sides of the fringe in the similar manner to the upper and lower sides of the fringe, which leads to a higher withstanding-voltage. In this embodiment, the p-type diffusion layers 4 x formed in a floating structure are used at the corners of the semiconductor chips.

[0142] In case that a dry etching processing is used for forming the p-type region 4, as the constraints for the arrangement of the p-type regions 4 are relaxed, the p-type regions 4 can be formed so that their lines extending in the vertical direction may be orthogonal to their lines extending in the horizontal direction. As the electric potential distribution at the fringe is uniformized, a higher withstanding-voltage can be established easily by combining the p-type diffusion layers 18 x arranged in a circular geometry shown in the embodiment 19 with this embodiment.

Embodiment 21

[0143]FIG. 33 shows a plan view of the semiconductor device of the present invention. In this embodiment, the stripe pattern of the p-type region 4 and the n-type region 2 forming the voltage holding area are made intersect to the trench gate pattern formed with polycrystalline silicon by approximately 0.5°. With this configuration, the pitch of the trench gate pattern of the p-type region 4 and the n-type region 2 forming the voltage holding area and the pitch of the trench gate pattern can be determined independently. As the p-type region 4 forming the voltage holding area and the trench gate pattern made of polycrystalline silicon are formed by anisotropic etching process in this embodiment, their crossed axes angle becomes approximately 70.5°, that is, a slant angle other than 90°±5°. The (111) surface perpendicular to the (110) surface is defined as a principal contact surface for the wide wall of the trench ditch of the gate. Other aspects are similar to those in the embodiment 1. As the electric potential distribution at the fringe is uniformized, a higher withstanding-voltage can be established easily by combining the p-type diffusion layers 18 x arranged in a circular geometry shown in the embodiment 19 with this embodiment.

Embodiment 22

[0144]FIG. 34 shows a plan view of the semiconductor device of the present invention. In this embodiment, the p-type diffusion layer 18 is added on the semiconductor surfaces between the p-type regions 4 x themselves operating as the field limiting regions without direct electrical connection to the terminal 101, or between the p-type region 4 x operating as the field limiting region and the p-type region 4 x operating as the field limiting region and the p-type region 4 operating as the voltage holding area with direct electric connection to the terminal 101, and thus the effective distance between them are made shorter.

[0145] In this embodiment, as the transmission of voltage through the depletion layer from the p-type region 4 to the p-type region 4 x is even if the pitch for the p-type regions 4 and the pitch for the p-type regions 4 x, both formed by etching process, are made identical to each other and the density of the n-type region 2 formed between them is made uniform, the n-type region 2 and the p-type regions 4 and 4 x tends to be depletion easily, and thus, a higher withstanding-voltage can be achieved. Therefore, as far as the process conditions are allowed, the pitch with which the p-type regions 4 are arranged can be minimized. Accordingly, as the ON resistance can be reduced with a designated withstanding-voltage condition, the layout design work can be made easier. In this embodiment, the lower the density of the p-type diffusion layer 18, the more the p-type diffusion layer 18 tends to be depletion easily, and hence, a higher withstanding-voltage can be achieved more easily. In addition, as the p-type diffusion layer 18 is formed in the semiconductor, the effective distance between the p-type regions themselves can be easily made shorter. The same effect as brought by the p-type diffusion layer 18 can be provided by ion implantation at the areas apart from the surface of the semiconductor or by forming embedding layers.

[0146] Other aspects are similar to those in the embodiment 1. As the electric potential distribution at the fringe is uniformized, a higher withstanding-voltage can be established easily by combining the p-type diffusion layers 18 x arranged in a circular geometry shown in the embodiment 19 with this embodiment. The p-type diffusion layers 18 x and 18 may be formed by an identical process.

Embodiment 23

[0147]FIG. 35 shows a sectional view of the semiconductor device of the present invention. In this embodiment, the n-type region 1 y is formed for limiting the injection of the minority carrier from the high-density p-type substrate 1 x to the n-type region 2. The planar structure of the semiconductor device in this embodiment is the same as that shown in FIG. 28, and its sectional view corresponds to FIG. 29. For the case of IGBT, the first terminal 101 for the source terminal of the power MOS FET and the second terminal for the drain terminal of the power MOS FET are treated as the emitter terminal and the collector terminal, both of IGBT, respectively. It is required to increase the withstanding-voltage between the n-type base region 3 and the p-type base region 4 in order to increase the collector-emitter withstanding-voltage for IGBT, and it is required to reduce the resistance of the n-type base (n-type region 2) in order to make the loss of IGBT lower. Thus, in order to increase the collector-emitter withstanding-voltage of IGBT as well as make IGBT low-loss, it is preferable to form the n-type base region 2 and the p-type base regions 4 as the voltage holding areas as in the case with power MOS FET. Accordingly, by means of applying the structure of the present invention disclosed in the embodiments 1 to 23 to IGBT, a higher withstanding-voltage, low loss, low cost and low capacitance can be established respectively.

[0148] In this embodiment, the net impurities per unit area on the n-type regions 2 and 1 y between the high-density p-type substrate 1 x and the p-type region 4 is made half or more of the net impurities per unit area on the n-type region 2 enclosed by the p-type region 4. As it is required to design the distance between the high density p-type substrate 1 x and the p-type region 4 extremely shorter than the distance between the p-type base region and the p-type collector region, the withstanding-voltage characteristics are fluctuated in case that the overall device withstanding-voltage is determined by the punch-through withstanding-voltage between the high density p-type substrate 1 x and the p-type region 4. which leas to undesirable characteristics.

[0149] In this embodiment, as the collector withstanding-voltage of this semiconductor device is not determined by the punch-through withstanding-voltage between the high density p-type substrate 1 x and the p-type region 4, the variance in the collector withstanding-voltage gets smaller. In case that the uniform density n-type region 2 is used for the n-type base without forming the above described n-type region 1 y, the distance between the p-type region 4 and the p-type region 1 x is made half or more of the pitch with which the p-type regions 4 are arranged.

Embodiment 24

[0150]FIG. 36 shows a sectional view of the semiconductor device of the present invention. This embodiment is an example suitable especially for SIT. The planar structure of the semiconductor device in this embodiment is the same as that shown in FIG. 28. For the case of SIT, the first terminal 101 for the source terminal of the power MOS FET and the second terminal for the drain terminal of the power MOS FET are treated as the gate terminal and the drain terminal, both of SIT, respectively. It is required to increase the drain-gate withstanding-voltage in order to increase the drain-gate withstanding-voltage for SIT, and it is required to reduce the resistance of the n-region 2 in order to make the loss of SIT lower. In order to increase the drain-gate withstanding-voltage of SIT as well as make SIT low-loss, it is preferable to form the repetitive pattern of the n-type base region 2 and the p-type base regions 4 as the voltage holding areas with lower resistance and narrower pitch as in the case with power MOS FET. Accordingly, by means of applying the structure of the present invention disclosed in the embodiments 1 to 23 to SIT, a higher withstanding-voltage, low loss, low cost and low capacitance can be established respectively.

Embodiment 25

[0151]FIG. 37 shows a sectional view of the semiconductor device of the present invention. This embodiment is an example of the bipolar transistor in which the n-type region 11 is used for the emitter region, the p-type region 9 is used for the base region and the n-type region 2 is used for the collector region. For the case of bipolar transistors, the first terminal 101 used as the source terminal in the embodiment for the power MOS FET is treated as the base terminal, and its second terminal 102 used as the drain terminal is treated as the collector terminal. The terminal 103 is the emitter terminal. The components 13 f and 13 e are aluminum electrodes for the base terminal and the emitter terminal. The higher withstanding-voltage for the overall device is achieved by the extensive development of the depletion regions in the base region 4 and the collector region 2 as the voltage holding areas when the voltage is applied between the base terminal and the collector terminal. As the density of the n-type region 2 can be made higher than that of the conventional devices in the similar manner to the case for the power MOS FET, low loss devices can be established. As the withstanding-voltage between the collector and the base can be made higher, the withstanding-voltage between the emitter and the collector can be increased at the same time. Accordingly, in this embodiment, the structures of the semiconductor device described in the previous embodiments related to the power MOS FET and the effects brought by those structures can be applied to the case for the bipolar transistors.

[0152] Alternately, in case that there is not an n-type diffusion layer 11 and a terminal 103, which corresponds to the case of high withstanding-voltage PN junction diode, by translating the first terminal 1 as the anode terminal and the second terminal as the cathode terminal, the structures of the semiconductor device described in the previous embodiments related to the power MOS FET and the effects brought by those structures can be applied to the case for the PN junction diodes.

Embodiment 26

[0153]FIG. 38 shows a sectional view of the semiconductor device of the present invention. This embodiment is an example suitable especially for Schottky diode. In this embodiment, the terminal 101 is interpreted as the anode terminal and the terminal 102 is translated as the cathode terminal, in which a Schottky junction with the electrode for the anode terminal is defined, and the p-type region 4 operating as the voltage holding area is defined within 5 {grave over (1)}m range from the Schottky junction and the n-type diffusion layer 19. The components 13 d and 18 e are aluminum electrodes for the gate terminal and the source terminal, respectively. When a reverse bias is applied between the anode terminal of the terminal 01 and the cathode terminal of the terminal 102, as the p-type region 4 operating as the voltage holding area and the Schottky junction are coupled electrically to each other, a high withstanding-voltage is provided for the voltage applied between those terminals owing to the p-type region 4 and the n-type region 2, both operating as the voltage holding areas. The Schottky junction operates when the forward bias is applied between the anode terminal of the terminal 101 and the cathode terminal of the terminal 102, in which the overall device loss is reduced owing to the diode current flowing into the n-type region 2 with lower resistance and operating as the voltage holding area. Alternately, in case that the p-type region 4 as the voltage holding area by using embedding layers described in the embodiment shown by FIG. 11, the epitaxial layer 2 can be used for the above described n-type diffusion layer 11.

[0154] Accordingly, in the similar manner to the embodiments for the case of power MOS FET shown by FIGS. 22, 23 and 24 in which the floating p-type region 4 as the voltage holding area, a higher withstanding-voltage, low loss, low cost and low capacitance for the semiconductor device can be also established in this embodiment. 

1. A semiconductor device which obstructs current flow between a first terminal and a second terminal by forming a space-charge area extending thorough a part of a semiconductor chip when a voltage is impressed between said first terminal and said second terminal: wherein the substrate main face of said semiconductor chip is positioned on the (110) face, a couple of opposed side edges out of four side edges of said semiconductor chip are positioned on the {111} face perpendicular to the (110) face, and a voltage holding area is formed within said semiconductor chip, comprised of first regions of a first conduction type electrically connected to said second terminal and second regions of a second conduction type electrically connected to said first terminal, said first and second regions being arranged alternately and adjacently; wherein the boundary between said first regions of the first conduction type and said second regions of the second conduction type has the shape extending in the [110] axis direction; and wherein positive and negative space-charge regions are formed arranged alternately in said voltage holding area comprised of said first regions of the first conduction type and said second regions of the second conduction type when the current flow between said first terminal and said second terminal is obstructed.
 2. A semiconductor device which obstructs current flow between a first terminal and a second terminal by forming a space-charge area extending thorough a part of a semiconductor chip when a voltage is impressed between said first terminal and said second terminal: wherein the substrate main face of said semiconductor chip is positioned on the (110) face, and a voltage holding area is formed within said semiconductor chip, comprised of first regions of a first conduction type electrically connected to said second terminal and second regions of a second conduction type electrically connected to said first terminal, said first and second regions being arranged alternately and adjacently; wherein the boundary between said first regions of the first conduction type and said second regions of the second conduction type has the shape extending in the [110] axis direction with the main contact face of the {111} face perpendicular to the (110) face; and wherein positive and negative space-charge regions are formed arranged alternately in said voltage holding area comprised of said first regions of the first conduction type and said second regions of the second conduction type when the current flow between said first terminal and said second terminal is obstructed.
 3. A semiconductor device which obstructs current flow between a first terminal and a second terminal by forming a space-charge area extending thorough a part of a semiconductor chip when a voltage is impressed between the first terminal and the second terminal: wherein a voltage holding area is formed within said semiconductor chip, comprised of first regions of a first conduction type electrically connected to said second terminal and second regions of a second conduction type electrically connected to said first terminal, said first and second regions being arranged alternately and adjacently; wherein third region of the first conduction type is formed in the external of said voltage holding area, said third regions of the first conduction type having the mean impurity concentration which is lower above 20% than the mean net impurity concentration of said first regions of the first conduction type; wherein at least one forth regions of the second conduction type is formed within said third region of the first conduction type, and means is included for providing high withstanding-voltage by reducing electric field centralization at the external of said voltage holding area for the space-charge area extending from said second regions of the second conduction type reaching said forth region of the second conduction type in case where reverse bias is applied between said first terminal and said second terminal; and wherein positive and negative space-charge regions are formed arranged alternately in said voltage holding area comprised of said first regions of the first conduction type and said second regions of the second conduction type when the current flow between said first terminal and said second.
 4. A semiconductor device which obstructs current flow between a first terminal and a second terminal by forming a space-charge area extending thorough a part of a semiconductor chip when a voltage is impressed between the first terminal and the second terminal: wherein a voltage holding area is formed within said semiconductor chip, comprised of first regions of a first conduction type electrically connected to said second terminal and second regions of a second conduction type electrically connected to said first terminal, said first and second regions being arranged alternately and adjacently; wherein the main parts within said first regions of the first conduction type sandwiched by said second regions of the second conduction type are formed so that the impurity concentration becomes low as they back away from said second regions of the second conduction type; and wherein positive and negative space-charge regions are formed arranged alternately in said voltage holding area comprised of said first regions of the first conduction type and said second regions of the second conduction type when the current flow between said first terminal and said second.
 5. A semiconductor device which obstructs current flow between a first terminal and a second terminal by forming a space-charge area extending thorough a part of a semiconductor chip when a voltage is impressed between the first terminal and the second terminal: wherein a voltage holding area is formed within said semiconductor chip, comprised of first regions of a first conduction type electrically connected to said second terminal and second regions of a second conduction type electrically connected to said first terminal, said first and second regions being arranged alternately and adjacently; wherein third region of the first conduction type is formed in the external of said voltage holding area; wherein at least one forth region of the second conduction type is formed within said third region of the first conduction type; said third regions of the first conduction type having the mean impurity concentration which is lower above 20% than the mean net impurity concentration of said first regions of the first conduction type; wherein means is included for providing high withstanding-voltage by reducing electric field centralization at the external of said voltage holding area for the space-charge area extending from said second regions of the second conduction type reaching said forth region of the second conduction type in case where reverse bias is applied between said first terminal and said second terminal; wherein the amount of net impurity per a unit area of said third region of the first conduction type surrounded by said forth regions of the second conduction type is made lower over 20% than the amount of net impurity per the unit area of the first region of the first conduction type surrounded by said second regions of the second conduction type; and wherein positive and negative space-charge regions are formed arranged alternately in said voltage holding area comprised of said first regions of the first conduction type and said second regions of the second conduction type when the current flow between said first terminal and said second terminal is obstructed.
 6. A semiconductor device which obstructs current flow between a first terminal and a second terminal by forming a space-charge area extending thorough a part of a semiconductor chip when a voltage is impressed between the first terminal and the second terminal: wherein a voltage holding area is formed within said semiconductor chip, comprised of first regions of a first conduction type electrically connected to said second terminal and second regions of a second conduction type electrically connected to said first terminal, said first and second regions being arranged alternately and adjacently; wherein third region of the first conduction type is formed in the external of said voltage holding area; wherein at least one forth region of the second conduction type is formed within said third region of the first conduction type; wherein the spacing between two adjacent forth regions of the second conduction type is made narrower over 20% than the spacing between two adjacent second regions of the second conduction type; wherein means is included for providing high withstanding-voltage by reducing electric field centralization at the external of said voltage holding area for the space-charge area extending from said second regions of the second conduction type reaching said forth region of the second conduction type in case where reverse bias is applied between said first terminal and said second terminal; and wherein positive and negative space-charge regions are formed arranged alternately in said voltage holding area comprised of said first regions of the first conduction type and said second regions of the second conduction type when the current flow between said first terminal and said second terminal is obstructed.
 7. A semiconductor device which obstructs current flow between a first terminal and a second terminal by forming a space-charge area extending thorough a part of a semiconductor chip when a voltage is impressed between the first terminal and the second terminal: wherein a voltage holding area is formed within said semiconductor chip, comprised of first regions of a first conduction type electrically connected to said second terminal and second regions of a second conduction type electrically connected to said first terminal, said first and second regions being arranged alternately and adjacently; wherein third region of the first conduction type is formed in the external of said voltage holding area; wherein a forth region of the second conduction type is formed within said third region of the first conduction type, the length of said forth region of the second conduction type is greater over ⅔than the length of said first region of the first conduction type; wherein the spacing between two adjacent forth regions of the second conduction type is made narrower over 20% than the spacing between two adjacent second regions of the second conduction type; wherein means is included for providing high withstanding-voltage by reducing electric field centralization at the external of said voltage holding area for the space-charge area extending from said second regions of the second conduction type reaching said forth region of the second conduction type in case where reverse bias is applied between said first terminal and said second terminal; and wherein positive and negative space-charge regions are formed arranged alternately in said voltage holding area comprised of said first regions of the first conduction type and said second regions of the second conduction type when the current flow between said first terminal and said second terminal is obstructed.
 8. A semiconductor device which obstructs current flow between a first terminal and a second terminal by forming a space-charge area extending thorough a part of a semiconductor chip when a voltage is impressed between the first terminal and the second terminal: wherein a voltage holding area is formed within said semiconductor chip, comprised of first regions of a first conduction type electrically connected to said second terminal and second regions of a second conduction type electrically connected to said first terminal, said first and second regions being arranged alternately and adjacently; wherein means is included for providing high withstanding-voltage by reducing electric field centralization at the external of said voltage holding area by extending a stripe-like arrangement comprised of said first regions of the first conduction type and said second regions of the second conduction type up to the proximity of the periphery of said semiconductor chip; and wherein positive and negative space-charge regions are formed arranged alternately in said voltage holding area comprised of said first regions of the first conduction type and said second regions of the second conduction type when the current flow between said first terminal and said second terminal is obstructed.
 9. A semiconductor device which obstructs current flow between a first terminal and a second terminal by forming a space-charge area extending thorough a part of a semiconductor chip when a voltage is impressed between the first terminal and the second terminal: wherein a voltage holding area is formed within said semiconductor chip, comprised of first regions of a first conduction type electrically connected to said second terminal and second regions of a second conduction type electrically connected to said first terminal, said first and second regions being arranged alternately and adjacently; wherein the boundary between said first region of the first conduction type and said second region of the second conduction type is parallel to the path of current passing between said first terminal and said second terminal; wherein positive and negative space-charge regions are formed arranged alternately in said voltage holding area comprised of said first regions of the first conduction type and said second regions of the second conduction type when the current flow between said first terminal and said second terminal is obstructed; and wherein the spacing of said second regions of the second conduction type is narrower than the spacing of channel regions opposing through the gate of an insulation type semiconductor device.
 10. An insulation gate semiconductor device which obstructs current flow between a first terminal and a second terminal by forming a space-charge area extending thorough a part of a semiconductor chip when a voltage is impressed between the first terminal and the second terminal: wherein a voltage holding area is formed within said semiconductor chip, comprised of first regions of a first conduction type electrically connected to said second terminal and second regions of a second conduction type electrically connected to said first terminal, said first and second regions being arranged alternately and adjacently; wherein the boundary between said first region of the first conduction type and said second region of the second conduction type is parallel to the path of current passing between said first terminal and said second terminal; wherein positive and negative space-charge regions are formed arranged alternately in said voltage holding area comprised of said first regions of the first conduction type and said second regions of the second conduction type when the current flow between said first terminal and said second terminal is obstructed; and wherein a sixth region of the first conduction type is formed narrowing in the channel area of second conduction type, the mean density of said sixth region of the first conduction type is made lower than the mean density of said first regions of the first conduction type.
 11. An insulation gate semiconductor device which obstructs current flow between a first terminal and a second terminal by forming a space-charge area extending thorough a part of a semiconductor chip when a voltage is impressed between the first terminal and the second terminal: wherein a voltage holding area is formed within said semiconductor chip, comprised of first regions of a first conduction type electrically connected to said second terminal and second regions of a second conduction type electrically connected to said first terminal, said first and second regions being arranged alternately and adjacently; wherein the boundary between said first region of the first conduction type and said second region of the second conduction type is parallel to the path of current passing between said first terminal and said second terminal; wherein positive and negative space-charge regions are formed arranged alternately in said voltage holding area comprised of said first regions of the first conduction type and said second regions of the second conduction type when the current flow between said first terminal and said second terminal is obstructed; wherein a gate is provided embedded through a gate oxide film formed within a trench groove formed on the semiconductor main face; and wherein a sixth region of the first conduction type contacting to said trench groove has lower impurity concentration than that of said first regions of the first conduction type.
 12. An insulation gate semiconductor device which obstructs current flow between a first terminal and a second terminal by forming a space-charge area extending thorough a part of a semiconductor chip when a voltage is impressed between the first terminal and the second terminal: wherein a voltage holding area is formed within said semiconductor chip, comprised of first regions of a first conduction type electrically connected to said second terminal and second regions of a second conduction type electrically connected to said first terminal, said first and second regions being arranged alternately and adjacently; wherein the channel area of said insulation gate type semiconductor device connected to said first terminal is formed separated from said second region of the second conduction type; wherein when a voltage is applied to obstruct current flow between said first terminal and said second terminal said forth regions of the second conduction type are electrically connected therebetween by the space-charge area, so that positive and negative space-charge regions are formed arranged alternately in said voltage holding area comprised of said first regions of the first conduction type and said second regions of the second conduction type; and wherein the better part of area right under the first conduction type area surrounded by said channel area becomes the first regions of the first conduction type.
 13. An insulation gate semiconductor device which obstructs current flow between a first terminal and a second terminal by forming a space-charge area extending thorough a part of a semiconductor chip when a voltage is impressed between the first terminal and the second terminal: wherein a voltage holding area is formed within said semiconductor chip, comprised of first regions of a first conduction type electrically connected to said second terminal and second regions of a second conduction type electrically connected to said first terminal, said first and second regions being arranged alternately and adjacently; wherein the channel area of said insulation gate type semiconductor device connected to said first terminal is formed separated from said second region of the second conduction type; wherein when a voltage is applied to obstruct current flow between said first terminal and said second terminal said forth regions of the second conduction type are electrically connected therebetween by the space-charge area, so that positive and negative space-charge regions are formed arranged alternately in said voltage holding area comprised of said first regions of the first conduction type and said second regions of the second conduction type; and wherein the better part right under the second conduction type area surrounded by said channel area becomes said second regions of the second conduction type.
 14. An insulation gate semiconductor device which obstructs current flow between a first terminal and a second terminal by forming a space-charge area extending thorough a part of a semiconductor chip when a voltage is impressed between the first terminal and the second terminal: wherein a voltage holding area is formed within said semiconductor chip, comprised of first regions of a first conduction type electrically connected to said second terminal and second regions of a second conduction type electrically connected to said first terminal, said first and second regions being arranged alternately and adjacently; wherein said first regions of the first conduction type and said second regions of the second conduction type are formed in a stripe shape; wherein the stripe-shaped channel area of said insulation gate type semiconductor device connected to said first terminal is formed separated from said second region of the second conduction type; wherein when a voltage is applied to obstruct current flow between said first terminal and said second terminal said forth regions of the second conduction type are electrically connected therebetween by the space-charge area, so that positive and negative space-charge regions are formed arranged alternately in said voltage holding area comprised of said first regions of the first conduction type and said second regions of the second conduction type; and wherein the stripe pattern of said first regions of the first conduction type and said second regions of the second conduction type which make up said voltage holding area intersects to said stripe-shaped channel area at the angle of over
 40. 15. A semiconductor device which obstructs current flow between a first terminal and a second terminal by forming a space-charge area extending thorough a part of a semiconductor chip when a voltage is impressed between the first terminal and the second terminal: wherein a voltage holding area is formed within said semiconductor chip, comprised of first regions of a first conduction type electrically connected to said second terminal and second regions of a second conduction type electrically connected to said first terminal, said first and second regions being arranged alternately and adjacently; wherein said first regions of the first conduction type extend also to the external of said voltage holding area wherein a forth region of the second conduction type is formed within said first region of the first conduction type provided extending to the external of said voltage holding area; wherein said first region of the first conduction type is electrically connected to said second terminal via a ninth region of the first conduction type having higher density than that of said first region of the first conduction type; wherein said first region of the first conduction type is provided between said second region of the second conduction type, said forth region of the second conduction type and said ninth region of the first conduction type; wherein means is included for providing high withstanding-voltage by reducing electric field centralization at the external of said voltage holding area for the space-charge area extending from said second regions of the second conduction type reaching said forth region of the second conduction type in case where reverse bias is applied between said first terminal and said second terminal; and wherein positive and negative space-charge regions are formed arranged alternately in said voltage holding area comprised of said first regions of the first conduction type and said second regions of the second conduction type when the current flow between said first terminal and said second terminal is obstructed.
 16. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device in which current flow between a first terminal and a second terminal is obstructed by forming a space-charge area extending through a part of a semiconductor chip when a voltage is applied between said first terminal and said second terminal, said method comprising: a step of carrying out oxide film patterning on the (110) substrate face of the first conduction type having surface oxide film formed thereon by using a parallelogram photo mask of which one side extends along the (-11-1) crystalline face or the (1-1-1) crystalline face; after said oxide film patterning, a step of forming a plurality of grooves in the [100] direction in a first area using anisotropic etching; after said etching, a step of removing the oxide film; after said oxide removing, a step of filling said etching grooves with semiconductor of the second conduction type; a step of etching the semiconductor layer used to fill said etching grooves until said first conduction type appears; after said etching, a step of forming a second conduction type diffusion layer; after said second conduction type diffusion layer forming, a step of carrying out oxide film patterning using a photo mask of which one side extends on the (-11-1) crystalline face or along the (1-1-1) crystalline face; after said oxide film patterning, a step of forming a plurality of other grooves in a second area using anisotropic etching; and after said second area groove forming, a step of forming an oxide film.
 17. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 16 , wherein in the step of carrying out oxide film patterning on the (110) substrate face of the first conduction type having surface oxide film formed thereon by using a parallelogram photo mask of which one side extends along the (-11-1) crystalline face or the (1-1-1) crystalline face, said parallelogram photo mask is made up four main sides intersecting at 70.5°±5% or 109.5°±5%. 